ATLANTA – Simon Orobor has been sentenced for conspiring to pay healthcare kickbacks payments for unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), resulting in more than $20 million in claims to, and $13 million in payments from, Medicare.
“Telemedicine kickback schemes victimize elderly Medicare beneficiaries when they are most vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office will continue to work closely with our federal partners to identify these deceitful practices, and to prosecute the criminals who employ these schemes at the expense of our citizens who rely on the Medicare program.”
“The FBI is determined to protect all tax paying citizens who are affected by these kickback schemes, especially those who need government assistance for their health care needs,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This sentencing is a step in the right direction to support our overall goal of stopping deceitful medical operators who steal and put tremendous pressure on our federally subsidized health care programs.”
“This sentence sends a strong message that HHS-OIG will thoroughly investigate those who exploit Medicare patients and pay illegal kickbacks to prescribe medically unnecessary durable medical equipment for illegitimate financial gain. Our commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the Medicare and other federal healthcare programs remains unwavering,” said Tamala Miles, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”).
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: Between at least June 2016 and February 2019, Simon Orobor owned and operated Devotion Medical Supply, Inc. (“Devotion”) and Durable Medical Supply, Inc. (“Durable”), which provided durable medical equipment such as knee, back, shoulder, and wrist braces. Orobor, though another entity called Digital Interventions, LLC,…
Read the full article here